Slidin’ Thru: Unghetto Mathieu

At 17 years old, Unghetto Mathieu has already achieved what most aspiring artists dream of their entire lives. With the help of Lil Yachty on his breakout single, “23,” the Atlanta-based entertainer proves he’s what the rap game was missing. People just want to have fun, and that’s exactly what Mathieu strives to achieve at any given moment of the day. Read more…

With his “Gang Up” anthem carrying his unmatched high energy and good spirits, fans can’t help but partake in the #GangUpChallenge. As these dance moves continue to go viral and trend on social media, there’s no telling what the future holds for the young sauce master.

For those who don’t know, who is Unghetto Mathieu?

Unghetto Mathieu is an entertainer, born star. Born in Congo, Africa, raised in Gwinnett aka the “nawf,” where the Migos and other greats come from. That’s why I’m such a star. Happy trap and happy trap vibes, energetic-ness, and his own style mixed in with Atlanta’s remarkable 808’s that bring the finest to America. That’s Unghetto Mathieu.

Where do you fit in the realm of R&B and Hip Hop?

I fit in… the youth. That’s where I perfectly fit in. Not even perfectly, because I do my own thing and I don’t talk about what exactly everyone is talking about. But I try to modernize it so that it’s fun at the same time. But that’s where I fit in.

How does being raised in Atlanta play into your life and music?

What the Atlanta scene did to my sound was it added the legendary 808’s and the trap feel. Because everybody wants the club bangers. I really started out lyrical — and I’m still lyrical — but I had to like bubblegum it a little bit for the charts, because that’s what’s poppin. So I never lost myself, but I just kind of added the Atlanta feel to it. So that everyone can bump to it.

How important is it to come to LA as an up and coming artist?

It’s very important. It’s super important. I learned that my first time here. It’s not my first time, but my first time coming, I met so many people so fast. Like, I met a lot of people. There’s a lot of people in position to put you in higher places that you might not know of. And they’re just so low-key and behind the scenes. These days, music is behind the scenes — making moves behind the scenes. So it’s not really about what you know, but who you know. That plays a big part.

Talk about your new single “23” with Yachty. How’d you guys link up?

So basically I was just hitting up his camp. And boom. They seen a star. They seen how it goes. And we just started talking back and forth.

How’d you hit him up? Through DM?

No. In Atlanta, everything‘s kind of real close-ish. I hit up one of his engineers, Tillie Mann. And he kind of linked us up. Our teams were talking back and forth and made that happen. He sent a verse — blessed me with a verse.

Talk about your Happy Trap brand and how you demote the use of drugs.

I don’t really demote it, like “Don’t do it!” But I don’t promote it. Just the fact that I don’t promote it influences all the kids and all the people that listen to me that they don’t need it. Because I’m lit as ever and I don’t need any type of drugs. I don’t do anything. I’m just me. So it just shows people like, “Damn, I can be lit too without using any type of things to unnaturally push me.” But it’s whatever. People do what they do.

How important is social media for your life and your career?

Social media played a big role in where I am today because it’s the age of the internet. People are blowing up over the internet, like Ugly God and Yachty. It pushes the blow up by the speed, 10 times faster. You can just meet with people that you’ve never even touched or physically seen in person. And you can make songs with people, like Yachty and them. The internet plays a big role in like moving. Basically, I dropped a song right? And all my fans see it through the internet and they dance to it. And we made a challenge or whatever and it just gets the song promotion. It gets it skyrocketing way faster than it usually would.

Talk about being the face of Nike’s New Atlanta AF1’s campaign.

That was dooooooope. Shout out to all the people on there. That was lit. They had me in a jumpsuit. I was just being me and stuff. They loved it. I loved it. It was great. That was fire.

How’d you get that?

My bro Russell. You know the “Backpack Kid”? We’re cool in Atlanta. His manager hit me up like, “Yo, you want to do this Nike campaign?” And I was like, “What? Fasho.” It just happened like that.

You’re only 18, where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I don’t see myself doing music anymore. But I see myself in the surrounding aspects of music, as in fashion, acting, movies, and all that type of stuff. Especially, fashion because I love fashion. I’m into fashion — the art of fashion, clothing — just all that.

What are some of your favorite brands?

Off-White. But not even really because of the brand, but because of the creator, Virgil Abloh. He’s fire with his story and his come up. I like Vlone. I got to like Nike. Zara.

What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.

A normal day in the life is wake up, probably listen to some beats that I’ve been sent. Shout out to all the producers messing with me on the beats. Vibing to some songs, watching some videos for my fans that did the videos to my songs. Meeting new people. I’m always down to meet new people. I feel like it’s always more people out there. It’s about networking because you can always go higher. That’s what I do.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?

If I wasn’t doing music, I would be drawing. If I wasn’t doing music… [pause] I would be dancing. But I feel like that’s still doing music, because you’re bringing words to life. You’re just not saying anything.

What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?

I’ve had a lot of encounters with fans. The best encounter I’ve probably had with a fan was them knowing all the lyrics to my songs. We sang my whole song. We sang my hit single, “Gang Up,” together, like as a family. I treat my fans like family. I call them “fams.”

Who’s the most played artist on your phone?

The most played artist on my phone is XXXTentacion. X has a real diverse way of getting to people. He’s lit. He can get to the younger generation and hit the older generation. And appeal to people’s emotions and he does it so perfectly. His albums are fire. He’s not just… like, he could just take it anywhere he wants to. That’s what I do in my music. I take it where I need to take it at the moment.

Dream collab?

Dream collab? [laughs] Okay, so I got two. I got the mainstream one, then I got the new wave one. The mainstream is Big Sean. That’s like the person… when I started rapping, I was looking at him. If I met him, I’d probably cry. That’s the coolest people right here.

Big Sean made me cry once.

Bruh, he’s fire. As far as the new wave, Trippie Redd and Uzi on one track.

Is there anything else you want to let Young California know?

Go get “23” featuring Lil Yachty by Unghetto Mathieu, you dig what I’m saying? And hit that “23” challenge if you can. It’s lit. Watch out for the new album featuring your favorite people. Ugly God, Kodie Shane — we all gon’ be lit on the album. It’s a party, not even an album. It’s a party, EP, whatever you want to call it. The project gon’ be lit. Untitled right now, but it’s lit. And be you. Do you. Don’t let nobody tell you you can’t do something. As cliche as that sounds, that’s true and it will never change. It’s that simple.